By Bicycle

New York City

"The bicycle is a curious vehicle. Its passenger is its engine." John Howard

Some might consider New York City as not a bicycle safe city but others tend to think differently. What I think is that bicyclists (especially deliver men) are as dangerous on the road as taxi drivers.

So far I have never driven a bicycle in New York City so I can't really give it a review but from what I see, driving one in Central Park must be fun. I would think twice before I go out driving one on the road though even if there are bicycle lanes available.

Anyway as you can see bicycles are the subject of this photograph that I shot last summer. I often see a lot of them parked in my neighborhood and it never occurred to me that they can actually look nice in a photograph until I shot this one.

This photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV.

The Garbage Can at Night

Upper West Side, New York City

"Night is certainly more novel and less profane than day." Henry David Thoreau

I was walking back home after a whole day of rain when I captured this photograph. To be honest it was intended to be more of a tourist photograph if you know what I mean, but I ended up with light streaks and the light from the pedestrians reflecting on the wet asphalt. It ended up being a photograph that I enjoyed looking at.

And that is one thing, as I always said before, that baffles me about New York City...that even photographing an almost empty street focusing on a trash can turn out to be beautiful. The element of surprise never seizes in New York City.

I shot this photograph with a cheap Samsung camera and I had to do it fast because it was freezing cold outside. I had no tripod and nothing to place my camera on. Considering that a lot of elements were against me I consider myself lucky to have ended up with a photograph like this.

Times Square

Times Square, New York City

"Chaos is the score upon which reality is written." Henry Miller

Have you ever wondered what being in a video game felt like? Wonder no more and just head to the marvelous Times Square. I would suggest going in the evening as in my opinion, in the evening, Times Square is even more colorful than the daytime.

Times Square is the heart of New York City and while tourists flock to it to see the grandeur, New Yorkers tend to avoid it unless they really need to be there. At first I couldn't understand how could someone would want to avoid Times Square but in time I began to realize the real reason. 

I shot this photograph using a cheap Samsung compact camera. Some minor editing was done using Photoshop CS4. This time I didn't want to convert to black and white as Times Square is all about color!

Rain

Somewhere in Malta

"A poet is someone who stands outside in the rain hoping to be struck by lightning." James Dickey

Rain is probably my most favorite word in the whole dictionary. Rainy weather makes me feel happy and creative. I love the smell of it, the sound and the feeling of cleanliness it leaves behind. Rain makes everything look more beautiful.

I shot this photograph today. In the morning it was absolutely clear then in a few hours we had a bout of rain that almost flooded everywhere. 

This photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV.

The Gate II

Zabbar, Malta

"In the early days I had a very black-and-white view of everything." Cat Stevens

Today I am posting my 90th photograph...the 90th photograph of a journey that started exactly three months ago. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my subscribers and viewers as without you I wouldn't have made it to almost 11,000 views in three months.

Anyway the photograph of today is the second photograph I am posting of the Notre Dame Gate that is found in Zabbar, Malta. The first photograph was of the Gate that is right in the center of this structure. The photo and more historical information can be found on my first post which can be found here.

This photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Playing Field

Central Park, New York City

"You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play." Warren Beatty

This was one of those rare moments that I have visited the park and this area was completely empty. It was around Labor day and most New Yorkers leave town and I honestly believe that this is the best time to visit New York City. 

The city is quiet, not much traffic and the few people that stay around are those who are relaxed so you can forget all about chaotic New York City. 

This playing area in the photograph is the one that is somewhere closet to 85th Street on the West Side. It's usually full of children or grown ups swinging and playing.

I shot this photograph using my iPhone with the Hipstamatic App. Settings were Ina 1969/John S. Some minor editing was done in Photoshop CS4.

Tree of Life

Fir Tree, Central Park, New York City

"A man doesn't plant a tree for himself. He plants it for posterity." Alexander Smith

Nothing much to say about this photograph. I just happen to be obsessed with photographing trees that come in all forms and sizes. The one in this photograph is a new planted fir tree and I thought it looked cute being the 'baby' among the older trees. 

I photographed it in a way to have it right in the center which adds more depth. Even though it looks that the photo was shot using infrared...it was not. It's just the way the light is hitting the tree.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

The Great Lawn

Central Park, New York City

"Big cities are chaotic. And chaos for humans - who have experience from their ancestors - is the last step before conflict. So, in the park, every kind of visual contradiction has been eliminated." John Hench

This is the Great Lawn that can be found in Central Park, New York City and I can tell you right now that if you want the best views in New York City then you better come here. 

You can look 360 degrees around you, and you will be able to see the East Side, the West Side, up North and even Midtown. Early in the mornings during the week it's usually empty as you can see in the photograph but during the weekend it gets quite busy with baseball players.

In this photograph on the far right we can see the famous San Remo residential building and on the far left, the small building is the famous Marionette building.

Metal and Nature

Riverside Park, New York City

"An excellent man, like precious metal, is in every way invariable; A villain, like the beams of a balance, is always varying, upwards and downwards." John Locke

Today I am posting another photograph that was shot at Riverside Park. This is the third in the series. Love and Age vs Matter were also photographed at this beautiful park which is often over-looked because of Central Park.

This bridge can be seen somewhere around 75th Street and the last time I was walking there it caught my eye. Metal, trees and water puddles all come together to form chaotic symmetry which in my opinion is beautiful.

The color of the metal beams in the photograph are green...almost the same color as the tree on the side and that is why I converted it to black and white so it will create contrast and distinction. 

I think that Riverside Park offers more opportunity for photographs then Central Park. At Riverside Park you have that one thing that can't be beaten...water.

This photograph was shot using a cheap compact camera then converted to black and white using PS CS4.

New York Taxi

New York City Taxi

If, in New York, you arrive late for an appointment, say, "I took a taxi" Andre Maurois

Sometimes I wonder how would New York City look like if the iconic yellow cab didn't exist. Probably the streets will be less crowded and less crazy driving. But can New York City survive without these yellow hell on wheels?

This photograph was shot from the middle of the street while crossing...lights were red for cars. I didn't have time to frame the car but lucky for me it turned out to be in the exact place I wanted it to be. Being spontaneous sometimes works best.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Colors of New York City

New York City

“Every person on the streets of New York is a type. The city is one big theater where everyone is on display.” Jerry Rubin

This is my 84th photograph and I have never faced such dilemma. Today I couldn't decide whether to work with the color photograph or convert it to black and white. I liked both pictures and couldn't just pick one so for today we have a double entry...two versions of the same photograph.

One thing I instantly fell in love with when I first arrive in New York City was the architecture and the colors. Coming from a country where the buildings are bland and all limestone yellow this was beauty to me. I love the contrast that these beautiful buildings create...a red building with black fire escape ladders or darker buildings with white ladders. Add a beatiful clear blue sky, (or for a better effect I prefer a dull, greyish one) and the colors of the trees and you will be walking among art.

When I was younger, I never thought that it'd be possible to fall in love with a city, but New York City was love at first sight and it's the kind of love that will never die.

This photograph was shot with a compact camera. Editing, including the black and white conversion was done in PS CS4.

First Snow

New York City

"When snow falls, nature listens." Antoinette van Kleeff

Finally, after a long brutal summer winter is approaching. When I was younger I loathed cold rainy days but now that I am getting older I am realizing that there is nothing nicer than a cold wintry day. Summers are just too brutal and I don't understand how I used to love them so much.

This photograph was taken on a typical New York City street. It had snowed the day before so the snow was still pure white. As everyone who has experienced snow knows that it gets dirty pretty fast and it's not a nice scene. The white becomes all shades of gray with the occasional shade of yellow.

That's why the first snow fall is my favorite. To see an entire city covered in white is something beautiful in my opinion. It also occurred to me that maybe I love snow this much only because I don't drive and I don't have to shovel anything off my path.

This photograph was shot using my cheap compact camera. It was converted to black and white in PS CS4.

Union at Night

Union Square, New York City

 "Night time is really the best time to work.  All the ideas are there to be yours because everyone else is asleep. " Catherine O'Hara

I believe this is the first time I am posting a photograph of Union Square. Union Square is the kind of place that changes its skin at night. In the morning it's all suited up people coming and going to work, but at night, all the weirdest people come out to play and that's exactly why I love this place.

I remember the first time I've been to Union Square at night, I went there to take some photographs but I was shocked with the difference that I just couldn't do anything but look. I fell in love instantly how free the people sitting at the square were. They were not giving a damn what anybody things of them. They were just being them!

Best day to visit is probably Friday, even though Saturday's can be good too. The area is full of good restaurants and nice shopping areas so there is plenty to do.

This  photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were John S/Kodot XGrizzled

Gothic

St.Patrick's Cathedral, New York City

"I love the description of Gothic churches before the printed word, that they were the bibles of the poor." John McGahern

Before I set foot for the first time in New York City I believed everyone who said that the USA doesn't have beautiful churches. Today, I pity everyone who says so as they are clearly wrong.

New York City has two of grandest cathedrals, St.Patrick's and St.John the Divine Cathedral. While I have never seen the St.John Cathedral, I have been to the St.Patrick's Cathedral several times and everytime I go in there it always feels like it's my first time.

My best experience was last year during Christmas time. We went in there in the evening and there was choir practice. The sound coming from the organ was so beautiful and haunting that I couldn't move. It was a total Gothic experience. Yeah I know this is Neo-Gothic but it's so well made that it's hard to believe that it wasn't build by the real Gothic masters.

iPhone photography is kind of difficult here as it's somewhat dark but with a little patience and using the praying benches as tripods I managed to get some good photographs during the last few years.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

The Way of the Light

The Cloisters, New York City

"There are two kinds of light - the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures. " James Thurber

It has been some time since I went to The Cloisters now but I can still remember it vividly as if I went yesterday. Now that doesn't happen often to me. The place has to be truly exceptional for me to remember something in such detail.

This room we see in the photography was superb, not only in matters of decoration but also the texture of the stone and the way the light was hitting everything. The room was somewhat dark but a lot of light was entering through the two windows in the photograph. It was creating dramatic shadows and contrasts. 

There was something else that caught my eye, or rather my ear but unfortunately you can't see it in the photograph. The acoustics were exceptional. Even if you whisper you could be heard.

The Cloisters is a place that a lot of tourists miss when visiting New York City and I want to be honest if I wasn't with a local I would have never found it. It's fascinating that even though it's in New York City once you get there you'd feel like you are in some enchanted forest.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Tempestous Sea

Kalkara, Malta

"The boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave." Thomas Jefferson

This is probably one of the nicest beaches in Malta, but at the same time it feels wrong calling it a beach. Even the midst of a summer heatwave, if you go to this beach you will find it empty. So why do people avoid crystal clear waters?

This particular water area, which is found in Kalkara, Malta in an area called "Wied Ghammieq" claimed more lives than any other beach. The under water currents are too strong and even if you are the best swimmer you will still find difficulty to swim to the shore.

But as they say one man's trash is another man's treasure. In this case, the happy men are fishermen. It's the perfect spot to fish. No people scaring the fish away. They say that fishing is relaxing and I am sure that fishing in this spot, where you'd feel like you are a hundred miles away from humanity is relaxing to even the most hectic people I know.

This photograph was shot today. We have been having storms for a few days now so once the sky started to clear  I went down to the beach and snapped some photographs. Shortly after I was done, the sky turned dark again and it started raining. 

The photograph was shot using my cheap compact camera. Color processing was done using Adobe PS CS4.

Lonely Road

Zabbar, Malta

"Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose." Tom Krause

I am glad I took a photograph of this road when I did. Recently they have started major road works on it and I have a feeling that it's not going to look  the same again.

Since I was a child I have always loved passing through here. My father always complained that the road is so bad that it breaks the car. Now that I am older and I am driving I totally understand what he meant. There are potholes of unimaginable sizes. But I have always felt that it was bursting with character. Even though it was not really in the middle of nowhere, you always felt like you are on unbound territory.

I am happy that finally we can drive through this quarter of a mile without worrying about potholes but I am also disappointed that the way they are reconstructing the street it will not longer pack any character.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were Inga 1969/Lucifer IV

Smoke in the City

New York City

"As a remedy to life in society I would suggest the big city. Nowadays, it is the only desert within our means." Albert Camus

This photograph was shot somewhere in downtown Manhattan on the East Side. I can't really remember exactly where.

When I first saw those smoke emitting devices in Manhattan I could not understand why and how they work. I still don't know nowadays but deep in the abyss of my mind they are more acceptable than they were before. 

In real life it might not look pretty, but it sure does bring out more character in a photograph. Apart from that, we can also see some pedestrians, probably on their way to work. 

What's nice about this photograph is that even though it was shot in Manhattan (which is synonymous with busyness) it looks very serene and quiet. 

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Elements

Valletta, Malta

"Blue, green, grey, white, or black; smooth, ruffled, or mountainous; that ocean is not silent." H.P. Lovecraft

A few days ago I posted a photograph entitled Past and Present which was shot at the Valletta Waterfront. The photograph today is also shot at the Valletta Waterfront but this time it's from the other side. 

The white tents are all tents for outdoor eating at various different restaurants. You could say you are basically eating on top of the ocean. I believe this is as close as you can get to eating by the ocean.

A few steps down, you can find the main harbor, where cruise ships come in. There was one when I took this photograph but since I was not carrying my DSLR I couldn't really bring it in the photography too (not much control) so I had to settled to two different pictures...one of this and one of the ship. 

The ocean you see here is part of the Mediterranean Ocean and the architecture has been there for several hundred years. I like the idea of mixing old with new and this project turned out to be excellent. It's one of my favorite places to visit while in Malta.

This photograph was shot using my iPhone. No app was used, just the iPhone's normal camera.

Melancholy

A Hallway, Malta

"A commencement is a time of joy. It is also a time of melancholy. But then again, so is life." Peter Tsongas

Everytime I look at this picture I can't help but feel a certain degree of sadness. The empty wall at the back, the three empty chairs, the off-center table and the fake plastic flowers vase all contribute to create a rather melancholic environment.

It's like someone has been waiting for someone and they never showed up. The room is always kept top notch in case that someone, someday decides to show up but for now they are still waiting. Even the room is not empty it still gives me the much dreaded feeling of the void.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Ascending

Fireworks Display, New York City

"Celebrate what you want to see more of." Thomas J.Peters

Today I am posting another picture in color and the second one in the Fireworks series. This picture, like the other picture was shot at Central Park for the New Year's Eve celebration.

I was just photographing fireworks as they come up and was not paying much attention to how they were turning out. When later, at home, I was looking at the pictures on my computer I realized that this one was my favorite fireworks picture.

It's very gradual - big to small, and brightest to darkest. I love abstract art and personally I think that fireworks on a perfect black night can be a pretty good example. All that bright color against the black canvas (the sky.)

As I said on the other fireworks picture, no you don't need to carry professional DSLRs to take perfect fireworks pictures. A semi-decent compact camera will do the job just fine.

This picture was not shot using my iPhone. It was shot using a very cheap compact camera that did a terrific job! Yeah you don't need to carry endless equipment with you to take picture of fireworks!

Past and Present

Valletta Waterfront, Malta

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" Helen Keller

A few years ago this place was out of bounds for pedestrians. It was neglected and a dangerous place. None of us bothered to go and we had no reason to either.

Today it's one of the most beautiful places in Malta. The buildings you see used to be stores during the Knights of St.John period. They are restored to high quality and turned into restaurants and bars. What once used to be the most deserted area in Malta is now the most frequented place for lunches and dinners. 

Looking on the other side, the view is impeccable (will post a picture soon) and you can see the ocean and the Three Cities. Sometimes, since Valletta has the main harbor, you will spot a gigantic cruise ship coming in and you would be thinking 'wow this ship is as big as this street.' That is true, this street is small but it packs a lot of heart and character. If you are a foodist, this is the place to be at to try different things.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Porte des Bombes

Porte des Bombes, Floriana, Malta

"A distant enemy is always preferable to one at the gate." Emile M.Cioran

This gate, which is situated right in the center of a main street is one of the main landmarks in Malta. Porte des Bombes (which literally means door to bombs) is nowadays an ornamental gate, but in the past it formed part of the outer defensive walls of Valletta. 

It was constructed in Baroque style between 1697 and 1720 during the reign of Fra Ramon Perellos who was the 64th Grandmaster of the Knights of Malta. During the 19th century, the British government dramatically altered the original design of the gate by adding a second archway to accommodate increasingly heavy traffic in the Grand Harbor area. A marble plaque was affixed to the newer arch, with the following inscription: "Ad majorem popoli accomodatum".

I originally wanted to stand right in the center but it's too dangerous as there is only a very narrow central strip that you can stand on. So I had to settle for a side picture which actually brought out the texture of the gate even more.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Mind Explosion

Fireworks Display

"I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work." Neil Armstrong

Wow a picture in color today! Some of my followers asked me to post something in color and here I am hearing them. I have a series of fireworks photos that were shot in New York City for New Year's Eve last year.

It was the first time I went to Central Park to view the fireworks display and I was amazed, not only because the show was perfect but also because we found a perfect spot by the lake that wasn't full of crazy, idiotic drunk people! The fireworks display lasted for about 25 minutes and the weather was perfect. No wind at all!

I love the colors in this one and the fact that it looks like a lot of strings were tied together and thrown into the air. Fireworks can really teach you have to appreciate beauty, the kind of beauty that comes and goes very fast so you have to be prepared to gather as much of it as possible.

This picture was not shot using my iPhone. It was shot using a very cheap compact camera that did a terrific job! Yeah you don't need to carry endless equipment with you to take picture of fireworks!

Let's Play Music

FOA Schwarz, New York City

"All I need is a big surfboard and a piano." Dennis Wilson

Do you remember the 1988 movie starring Tom Hanks called Big? If you do remember it, do you remember the scene where Tom Hanks stepped on a huge piano and starting running on it to play it?

This piano I have in the picture is that very same piano. It is now in a special room at FOA Schwarz in New York City. FOA is an enormous toy store and it's every child's dream come true. The first time I went to this shop and came across the piano I just had to ask whether it was the real thing or not. I instantly remembered the scene from Big. 

A couple years ago FOA Schwarz also started selling replicas of the piano for those die-hard fans of the movie or for those who have money to burn and decorate their house with one them.

While taking a picture of the piano is not difficult at all, taking pictures with children running on it is. As soon as a child steps on it they go berserk especially the very young ones who can't make the connection between walking, and while walking they are also making noise.

Here I managed to get a picture the way I wanted it. Something that shows movement but yet is static. You can see two kids walking and a parent supervising them in the background.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Simplicity

Valletta, Malta

"The boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave." Thomas Jefferson

Today I am uploading a picture with nothing much to say about. I am keeping things simple for today. 

Basically what we are seeing here is a partial view of the capital city of Malta, Valletta. I took the picture from Senglea at the Gardjola Garden. Senglea is right opposite of Valletta and the views are impeccable. 

It had just stopped raining and the clouds were clearing up but I got the picture right on time before they all disappeared into nothingness. 

That opening between the edge of the city and the picture frame is where the cruise liners come in. We only have one main harbor in Malta and it's in Valletta.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Falling Up

Senglea, Malta

"The most dangerous untruths are truths slightly distorted." Georg C. Lichtenberg

Today I am posting a picture that is similar to one I posted previously - Higher - with the difference being that this time we have the town of Senglea in perspective.

Senglea, like Vittoriosa is one of the Three Cities which are found in the southern part of Malta. It's a very small town with only four long major streets. But while it's a fairly small town, the town church is decently sized.

In this church, one could find a very famous statue of Jesus the Redeemer. There are several myths surrounding this statue and a lot of people believe that miracles come true when you pray in front of it. To show their devotion, literally half of Malta goes to Senglea once a year to march behind this statue. You can find people walking barefoot, others walking on their knees and some even walking in small sized shoes as a way to sacrifice themselves for a miracle that happened to them.

Anyway back to the dome. This one is more complex and in my opinion more beautiful that the one in Vittoriosa. It can look a little chaotic but when you closely you can see that everything is in its right place and everything leads to something else. For example take the columns between the windows, follow the way up and they lead you to those lines and the lines lead you towards the inner circle.

Something that always mystified me is the inner circle. When you look at it you can see a triangle that strangely enough looks like the Illuminati triangle.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Entities

Paola, Malta

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." Plato

Am I the only one that thinks that this picture is most appropriate for Halloween? No it's not a haunted house. It's a church, the biggest church in Malta. It can be found in the town called Paola which is in the southern part of Malta.

What I love about this church is that if you look at it from a distance it looks like a space center. There is a series of smaller silver domes that make it interesting and worth looking at. Another thing that I have always wondered about is how many children can be fed even a structure like this was sold?

Anyway the interior of the church is pretty simple...it's somewhat modern and the interior doesn't compliment the exterior at all. 

The two rows of buildings that are visible in the picture are residential houses. Can you imagine living that close to a church with those huge bells jingling every hour even during the night?

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV